Motor control mechanism



May 2, 1961 R. C. STRAUSS MOTOR CONTROL MECHANISM Original Filed Feb.29, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ai cm- May 2, 1961 R. c. STRAUSS MOTOR CONTROL MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Original Filed Feb. 29, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

common plane.

MOTOR CONTROL MECHANISM Raymond C. Strauss, Ann Arbor, Mich. V

(301 W. Lenawee, Lansing, Mich.)

Original application Feb. 29, 1952, Ser. No. 274,107, now Patent No.2,831,555,'dated Apr. 22, 1958. Divided and this application Jan. 10,1956, Ser. No.

2 Claim. (Cl. 192-3) This invention relates to means for automaticallyregulating the flow of motive power to a motor on operation of the brakecontrol of a motor driven vehicle, and is adapted for use with all typesof motor driven vehicles,

.such as automobiles,jbusses, trucks and the like driven by .fuel suchas gasoline and diesel oil, and by motive power such as steam andelectric energy.

Numerous means have been'proposed for controlling the operation ofthrottle limiting devices upon operation of the brake control. Thesemeans have been designed to prevent waste of fuel and to increase thesafety element. In certain of these devices, the brake and throttlepedals have been mounted in close proximity and in a This type ofmounting has been proposed to reduce the reaction time to a minimum andpermits the application of pressure to the brake pedal. in the minimumtime period.

One ofthe objects of this invention is to provide means for preventingthe flow of motive power to the :whereby the brake pedal and throttlepedal may be disposed in the conventional manner, may be disposed inclose proximity or may or may not be disposed in a common plane.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for preventing theflow or limiting the flow of motive power to the engine above idlingspeed controlled by fluid pressure, mechanical action or electricalenergy.

Another object of this'invention is to provide means whereby the driverof a vehicle may fix or set the hand throttle and when the brake isapplied, the motive power; for example, the fuel supply, isautomatically reduced to that which is normal for idling speed.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description and claims taken in conjunction with thedrawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a linkage system for reducing the fuelfed to the engine upon application of the brake pedal;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the vacuum control valve of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a further control unit;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the elements illustrated in Fig. 3 inwhich the elements are shown separated;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a further form of control unit, theelements being shown separated;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the'diaphragm element of Fig. l.

In the various figures, the engine or motor block is United StatesPatent Patented May 2, 1961 2 designated by the numeral 1 and thecarburetor by the numeral 2. I

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, there is shown a seriesof cooperating cams controlled by a diaphgarm. The brake pedal andaccelerator pedal 111 are mounted in the conventional manner. The camassembly 112 and diaphragm chamber 113 are mounted on the motor block 1.A bracket 114 is secured to the motor block 1 and a shaft 115 is mountedin the bracket. The shaft 115 is provided with a longitudinallyextending groove or keyway 116. A collar 117 is provided with aprojecting cam 118 and is rotatably mounted on the shaft115. A lever 119is secured to the collar. If desired, a washer 120 may be interposedbetween the bracket 114 and collar 117. A second collar 121 having anintegral key 122 is mounted on the shaft, the key registering withkeyway 116. The collar 121 is provided with a cut-out segment 123 whichconforms to the projecting cam 118 and is adapted to receive the cam118. The collar 121 is adapted to slide along shaft 115.

A collar 124 is rotatably mounted on shaft 115 and is provided with acut-out segment 125. A lever 126 is secured to collar 124. A collar 127is rotatably mounted on shaft 115 and is provided with a projecting cam128. The cut-out segment is adapted to receive cam 128. A lever 129 issecured to collar 127. A washer 130 may be disposed between collar 127and nut 131 which maintains the collars in position on the shaft 115.For illustrative purposees, the elements are shown slightly separated inFig. 3.

Lever 119 is pivotally securedto pin 132 which is secured to thediaphragm within chamber 113 and projects from the chamber. Thediaphragm chamber oommunicates with valve 74 by means of conduit 133.The valve 74 communicates with a source of vacuum by means of conduit134. Lever 126 is connected with the carburetor valve shaft through rod135, arm 136, shaft 137, arm 138, link 139 and arm 140. A tension spring141 is preferably secured to the motor block'l at one end and to arm atits opposite end to constantly urge the carburetor valve and collar 124into normal or throttle position. Lever 129 is connected withaccelerato-r pedal 111 by means of push rod 142.

The normal position of the cams is illustrated in Fig.

3. Cam 118 bears against collar 121 thereby retaining cam 128 in cut-outsegment 125 of collar 124. Upon application of pressure to acceleratorpedal 111, collar 127 is rotated in a clockwise direction. Cam 128carries with it collar 124 and through lever 126 and the intermediateelements causes an opening of the carburetor valve. 'Upon application ofpressure to the brake pedal 110, valve 74 connects diaphragm chamber 113with the source of vacuum and pin 132 is drawn into the chamber. Collar117 and cam 118 are thereby rotated so that cam 118 registers withcut-out segment 123.

The force of spring 141 is suflicient to cause the cut-out segment 125in collar 124 to ride along cam 128 and simultaneously move collar 124and collar 121 along the shaft 115 whereby the carburetor valve isbrought to its idling position. The positioning or movement of collar127 and cam 128 is thereby ineffective in affecting the opening of thecarburetor valve until the cam assembly is returned to normal position.Upon release of pressure from -the brake pedal, valve 74 opens diaphragmchamber 113 to the atmosphere and pin 132, collar 117 and earn 118 arereturned to their normal position. Cam 118 rides on the arcuate surfaceof cut-out segment 123 forcing collars 124 and 127 into their normalcooperative positions.

In Fig. 5, vthere is illustrated (in exploded condition) a modificationof the control mechanism shown in Figs.

1 1o 4. The bracket 145 is adapted to be secured to the motor block 1. Acylindrical cam element 146 having a hollow core 147 is rotatablysecured to bracket 145 by grooved shaft 148 and set screw 149. Ifdesired, a washer 150 may be interposed between cam element 146 andbracket 145. Lever 151 is secured to the cam element 146. ,A segment 152is cut from the cylindrical element to form a cam surface 153.

A cylindrical element 154 provided with a circumferential cam 155 cooprates with cam element 146. The cylindrical element 154 and cam 155 maybe integral with a flange 156. A lever 157 may be secured to flange 156.A coaxial shaft 158 is also preferably integral with fiange 156 and isadapted to be received by duct .159 of pin 160.

The diaphragm chamber 161 comprises a pair of dished plates 162 and 163.An elastic diaphragm 164 :is securely clamped between the dished plates.A pin 160 is securely fastened to the diaphragm and projects through anaperture in the plate 162. The outer end of pin 160 may be provided witha flange 165. A compression spring 166 is preferably positioned on thepin 160 between flange 165 and plate 162 to constantly urge the pin intothe position illustrated. Plate 163 is :provided with a port 167 whichcommunicates with a valve 74. Plate 163 is s cured to a bracket 168which is secured by suitable means to the motor block or other suitablefixed member. Lever 151 is connected by suit- .able cranks and links tothe carburetor shaft in a manner similar to that used in connectinglever 126 in Fig. 1. Lever 157 is connected to the accelerator pedal inthe same mann'r as used in connecting lever 127.

In the normal operative position of the elements, flange 156 abutsagainst the open end of cylindrical element 146 and cam 155 is incontact with surface 153.

Shaft 158 is positioned in duct 159 and is secured to pin 160 by acotter pin or other suitable means, not shown.

Pressure applied to the accelerator pedal causes an opening .of thecarburetor valve in the same manner as :the operation of the device ofFig. 1. Upon application of pressure to the brake pedal, a vacuum isdrawn in the diaphragm chamber and the diaphragm 164 draws apin 160inwardly. Cam 155 is thereby removed from cooperating position withsurface 153 and pressure ap- "plied to the accelerator pedal isinetfective in affecting the carburetor valve.

This application is a division of applicants copending .application,Serial No. 274,107, filed February 29, 1952, now Patent No. 2,831,555issued april 22, 1958, which in turn is a division of his Serial No.553,274, filed September 8, 1944, now Patent No. 2,642,166.

What is claimed is:

.1. In an automobile or the like having a carburetor, an acceleratorpedal, and a brake, the combination of a first longitudinally movablerod connected to the accelerator pedal for movement thereby, a secondlongitudinally movable rod connected .to the carburetor to actuate thesame, a lost motion type connection interconnecting the rods comprisinga first pivotal crank connected to the first rod to be pivoted thereby,a second pivotal crank connected to the second rod to move the same,co-acting radial surfaces on the cranks extending axially thereof havingan abutment engagement with each other whereby pivotal movement of thefirst crank may be transmitted to the second and pivotal movement of thesecond crank in an opposoite' direction may be transmitted to the first,at least one of the cranks being axially movable whereby said surfacesmay be engaged and disengaged, resilient means holding the surfaces inengagement, and means connecting the brake to the axially movable crankwhereby actuation of the brake moves the same in a direction todisengage said surfaces.

2. A disconnect device comprising a first pivotal crank, a secondpivotal crank mounted on the same axis as the first, one of the cranksbeing adapted for connection to a carburetor or the like and the otherfor connection to an accelerator or the like, said cranks havingabutting surfaces whereby they may be jointly rotated in one directionupon the application of torque to only one of the cranks, and meansadapted to be actuated by a brake pedal or the like for axially movingone of the cranks to separate said abutting surfaces 'and therebydiscontinue said joint rotation, said means comprising a pivotal memberhaving a projection thereon, a pivotal pressure member having a recessfor receiving the projection, said pressure member engaging one of thecranks to hold them in axial engagement, on

such engagement said projection being out of said recess,

and means whereby said pivotal member is rotated upon actuation of thebrake to allow said projection to enter said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

